We chat with author London Sperry about Passion Project, which is a fun, flirty, thoughtful story of finding a spark—and igniting happiness.
Hi, London! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hi! I’m a New York based author of sad-girl romances with happy endings. I enjoy a big bowl of soup, many flavors of diet soda, and a good night at the theatre. I read spoilers for TV shows before I get to the ending, and my favorite flavor of seltzer is coconut. I got my BFA in musical theatre from The Pennsylvania State University before discovering my true passion for writing.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
My love for storytelling dates back to when I was very young and I was absolutely head over heels in love with theatre. I was obsessed with the drama of a ballad, the quick comedy of a scene, the indulgence of a soliloquy. This obsession directly translated to my writing. Acting is all about character motivation, analyzing scene structure, story beats, and pacing. While PASSION PROJECT is my first full length novel, I was prepared for it by my years long love affair with the theatre.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: The Giver by Lois Lowrey
- The one that made you want to become an author: People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: The Wedding People by Alison Espach
Your debut novel, Passion Project, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Sad girl and happy boy kiss
What can readers expect?
The story follows 25 year old Bennet who is living in New York City, temping to make rent, and struggling to get out of bed every day due to the sudden and tragic loss of her first love. When she crashes into a terminal extrovert and overall ball of sunshine in human form, Henry, he suggests they team up to try something new every week to reinvigorate her passion for life…as friends…of course. Readers can expect a love letter to New York, discussions of mental health and depression, a little flirting, a lot of laughing, and maybe a tiny bit of crying too.
Where did the inspiration for Passion Project come from?
The inspiration for Passion Project came from having a career and social life flatline during the Covid shutdown. I think a lot of people felt sort of empty during that time, or had the feeling of being “on pause” from life. I had chosen a career as an actor at a young age and I threw my entire identity into it. It was the only thing I was ever passionate about. When Covid hit, it was no longer an option, and I ultimately decided to leave it behind. But the question that came next was…who am I without my passion?
Letting go of that dream was a very specific kind of grief that I think a lot of people can relate to—the aimlessness of not knowing who you are, what you want, and what to do next. It was from that place that I wrote PASSION PROJECT, a passionless, directionless main character, and her journey to purpose.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I adored writing from Bennet’s POV. I loved thinking “what would Bennet think about this or that.” Sometimes it would surprise me, but by now, I feel like I know her like the back of my hand. I still root for her happiness!
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
Of course! Every page was a challenge. The biggest challenge is always getting out of my own way and not judging myself before I’ve even completed a sentence. The best way to overcome this is to just…push through. Even if the writing is bad! Even if it feels awful! I usually have to suck myself back to reality when I get in my head and say come on girl! Get words onto the page! You can fix it later!
This is your debut novel! What was the road to becoming a published author like for you?
The road to becoming a published author has been rife with highs and lows—it has simultaneously felt like a marathon and a sprint, like a long slow hike up a hill and like rolling down the other side in the blink of an eye. Being published in this way is a relatively new dream for me—though I always knew I wanted to write something, I didn’t know until recently that that something was romance novels. Coming from the acting world, I always thought I would write movies, or TV shows, or plays, or even musicals! But…none of those stuck. None felt as true as writing a book. And while I wouldn’t count those out for the future, the second I sat down to write PASSION PROJECT, I knew I’d do anything to get it published. So basically, I googled “how to get a book published” and I started chipping away at it. I had no friends in the industry, or so I thought—until I downloaded Twitter on the day of a pitching contest, and found an old college friend pitching their book! They became a HUGE source of information, support, and kindness for me, and encouraged me to apply for a mentorship program where I ended up meeting my incredible mentors, Amber and Danielle Brown (they are amazing authors and if you haven’t read their books, what are you even doing with your life?!!?!). Amber and Danielle graciously donated their time to helping me refine the manuscript, and eventually, they helped me query it.
Querying was difficult, and once I found my agent, submission was difficult. And then once we found my editor and my imprint, editing and marketing was difficult! No part of this has been easy, but it has been incredibly rewarding. The best part of the whole journey has been accumulating a team of wonderful people around me, from the friends I speak to daily, to my therapist to whom I provide weekly lessons about NetGalley and QueryTracker to, to the pub team I am incredibly fortunate to be a part of. I’m so lucky to get to do this!
What’s next for you?
I plan to keep writing stories about mental health, big feelings, love, and comfort until everyone gets sick of me.
Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up this year?
I’m looking forward to picking up Mate by Ali Hazelwood, Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry, The Last Thorn by Talia Hibbert (ok this one is 2026 but I’m still excited), Black Salt Queen by Samantha Bansil, Pride or Die by CL Montblanc, Crash Landing by Annie McQuaid, and The Summers Between Us by Noreen Nanja.
